Improved lathing-machine



iIn-itrd, gram @sind @hijita ictters Patent No. 95,435,-datecl October 5, 1869.

IMPROVED LATHING--MACHIN-EL The Schecule referred to in these Letters.Patent and making-part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE N. CREAMER, of Trenton, in the county of Mercer, and State of New J ersey, have invented a new and usefulApparatus for Holding Laths, and adjusting them to ceilings or partitions of buildings, the following being a full, clear, and exact description of said apparatus, and of its use,

` reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

which form part of this specication, and in which- Figure 1 represents a view ofwhat I call the face of my improved' apparatus;

Figure 2,a similar view of the back of the same;

Figure 3, a vertical transverse section through the line x :c of fig. 1 and Figure 4, a view of one end of the apparatus.

.It is the object of my invention -to 'facilitate and improve the application of laths to the ceilings and partitions of buildings, and by attaining greater uniformity in the spaces between the laths than can be gained bythe eye alone, improve the nish'of the plastering, while the workm'an is relieved of all neceslsity of holding or applying his laths by hand, and has only to see that'the break-joints are properly made; otherwise having both hands free for his hammer and nails, so that 11e can do not only better work, but more of it, and with much less fatigue than is now attendant upon labor of this character; and to these ends,

My invention consists in'a simple sliding'frame, (a light casting,) in which av number of laths is fitted between holding-studs and then clamped, and the frame, with the laths thus held in it, attached to the joists or stndding in the manner presently to be de scribed. "f

Provision is made for so loosening the clamps, that while the frame retains its position, the laths may be slipped vlengthwise to or fro, as may be necessary to break joints, and the workmau'has only to do this while the laths are held up for him, and to use his hammer until all the laths are nailed on, when he detaches the frame, refills -it and applies it again; or he may have two frames, one of which may be illed with laths while he is using the other, and thus he will save all the time now lost in handling, besides being relieved from the cramped and fatiguing positions he must occupy when holding the laths with his hands, and being also no longer obliged to measure his distances between the laths with his eye.

I make an oblong frame, which consists of four sidepieces and two cross-pieces, each ofthe two cross.

pieces A' A being made in two parts fitted together so as to overlap, (see iig. 4,) andslide one over the other, in a loop, a.

A slot, a2, `is cut through one of these overlapping parts, and a set-screw, c1, passing through the slot, clamps the two parts together. I-t will be seen that `by this construction the width of the frame may be adjusted to suit varying distances between they joists or studding of buildings.

In each end of' each of these side-pieces is a guideloop, in which the side-pieces B B slide longitudinally.

The two inner side pieces A A are iirmly secured to the two cross-pieces A A', so as to lie snugly against the outer side-pieces B B, 'respectively,'so that the, side-pieces B B can be moved in the guides b l5 up or l down along the side-pieces A A.

This movement is effected by means of levers C C, fixed on the side pieces-B B, and each having a fulcrum, c, on the side-pieces A A". The inner ends ot these levers C C are` connected' in a link-rod, D, which -slides longitudinallly in a bearing, e, on a bridge, E, sev cured to the bars A A. A spiral spring on this link-rod tends to keep the levers G C raised, (asshown in yell low, fig. 1,) and with the levers inv this position, the ends ofthe bars A A, B B are in line with eachother.

The blidge E is made with overlapping sections moving in guides and adjustable by set-screws in the saine manner as the end-pieces A A already described, and consequently are adjusted in the same way and at the same time as the bars A A.

Through each of the bars A A, B B, Iix woodscrews, l', long enough to project through the back of the bars somewhat more than the thickness of a lath, and at a distance apart somewhat greater than the width of a lath. v

With thelevcrs C C in the position shown in yellow, fig. 4, these screws in the bars A A will each'be exactly opposite those in the bars B B, and the back of v the frame will thus be divided into equal spaces.

The width of the frame having been adapted to the spaces between the joists or studding, as already de.- rscribed, andthe frame being turned bottom side up, and lthe laths laid iiatwise between the screws, the levers C C are brought down (by pulling on the rod D) into the position shown by red lines in iig. 1, and the bars B B are thereby slipped up in the guides on the cross-pieces A A', thus4 bringing the screws in B B past the screws in AA, and so clamping the laths, which are furthermore securely held against slipping out by the threads on the screws being thus slightly pressed into their edges. v

lhe frame is now ready to be afixe'd to the joists or studding, the means of doing which consists in two hook-levers or dogs, H II, vibrating on pivots'h. It, in the bridge E, and connected,'by links fi, with an S- shaped lever, I, which is turned on afulcrum, i1, by a handle or winch, t2.

The lever I is turned into the position shown by red' lines in rig. 1, so as to bring the dogs H H within the line of the bars A A and the frame placed between the joists or studding.

The lever I is now thrownover its centre, so as to project the dogs H H against and enter them into the joists or studding, so as to sustain the frame.

To further insure a steady support to the frame in all directions, I fix at each side, and on each end ofthe bars A A, A A', pins k k,which project out beyond the frame, and some of which project into the ystudding or joists in whatever position tbe flame may be aflxed.

I also provide bearing-studs l l, which not only aid the dogs H H and pins k k in sustaining the frame, but also prevent the bars B B from being cramped or bound by friction against the joists or studding, so as to prevent the sliding of the laths endwise.'

The frame being now adjusted' and aixed, the workman has simplyto drive his nails. Should he wish to break the joints, and for this purpose to move his laths endwise in eitherdirection, he has only to push the rod D so as to raise the levers C again, which will` bring the bars B B down in the guides, andthe screws in those bars parallel again with the screws in the bars A A, when the clamp of the screws upon the laths will be loosened, and he can move each or all of them as he may see fit, the frame remaining meanwhile steady' and firm against any force that may be necessarily exerted in this operation.

When the laths. are all nailed on, by simply turning back the lever I, the dogs H H are retracted and the frame removed to be refilled and reapplied.

A cross-bar may be aixed to venience in handling it without taking hold of the bridge E;

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure" by Letters Patent, is

1. The combnatiom'with the frame, of the clamp ing-dogs H H, operating as set forth.

2. The combination of the parallel sliding bars with i pins to clamp the edges of the lath, as set forth. 3. The combination, with the frame, of the` sliding bars A B, levers O, and link-rod D, and its spring, tbe

combination being and operating substantially as set forth.

4. 'lne combination of the laterally-adjustable frame and adjustable .bridge with the grasping-hooks and their lever mounted `on the bridge, as set forth.

l 5. An adjustable clamping and holding-frame for applying latbs to the joists or studding of buildings,

substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the clamping and holdingframe, of the guides for adjusting the parallel bars, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE N. CREAMER.

Witnesses: l

HENRY BALDWIN, Jr., E. N. MILLER.

the `frame for con 

